1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for exercising one's body and cardiovascular system. In particular, the present invention relates to such exercising devices that simulate the coordinated up and down movement of one's legs and feet as well as the shifting of one's weight in a manner similar to such motions occurring in downhill skiing.
2. State of the Art
There have been various devices disclosed in the prior art that are supposed to simulate different aspects of skiing. Popular commercial devices are available that simulate cross country skiing. These devices have parallel tracks, with foot engagement members that slide back and forth along the respective tracks. These devices do not, however, simulate downhill skiing to any extent.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,858, there is disclosed that exercises the lower body muscles in a manner somewhat simulating downhill skiing. The device consists of a sloping rotatable platform having biasing means for increasing the force necessary to rotate the platform either clockwise or counter-clockwise from a neutral position. This device does not provide for lifting and pushing with ones legs in a coordinated fashion or the shifting of one's weight and lateral movement of one's feet as a unit from side to side as is incurred in actual downhill skiing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,880, a ski simulation exercise device is disclosed which is of the slant board type exerciser. A roller provides guided, rolling support as a slant board type support is rolled over and across the guide roller. This device allows shifting of weight from one foot to the other, but the user's legs do not move in coordinated up and down movement nor to the user's feet move in a lateral displacement as a unit as in actual downhill skiing. Further, the technique for balancing and shifting one's weight on a rolling slant board does not actually simulate downhill skiing.
3. Objective
The principal objective of the invention is to provide a novel exercising device that achieves thorough exercising of one's body and cardiovascular system while simultaneously simulating faithfully the movements occurring in downhill skiing by providing movement of ones legs up and down in a coordinated action, shifting of one's weight from side to side and moving of one's feet as a unit from side to side.